Island Voices 2025 continues this October to mark the 75th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch and th
17 October 2025
Derry City and Strabane District Council is delighted to continue its Island Voices 2025 lecture series this October, celebrating the 75th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — the first book in C.S. Lewis’s beloved Chronicles of Narnia series.
The next event in the series takes place on Thursday 23rd October at 1pm in the Guildhall, where Irish language writer Antain Mac Lochlainn will present “The Road to Nairnia.” This lecture will explore the creative challenge the speaker faced in translating CS Lewis’s magical world of Narnia into the Irish language for the first time.
Organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Languages Team, Island Voices 2025 offers audiences a unique opportunity to reflect on Lewis’s enduring literary legacy and his place within Ireland’s rich cultural and linguistic traditions.
Pól Ó Frighil, from the Council’s Languages Team, said the team were delighted with the success of this year’s Island Voices lecture series so far and looked forward to next week’s event.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Antain Mac Lochlainn to continue our Island Voices 2025 series. This October’s event promises fresh insight into C.S. Lewis’s connection to language, identity, and storytelling - themes that continue to inspire readers around the world 75 years after the publication of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”
A third and final lecture will also take place on Thursday 27th November when Ulster University’s Dr Frank Ferguson will discuss "Onwards to Narnia and Hame by the Sandy Loanen" which will explore the Ulster-Scots influences on CS Lewis’s life and work.
Light refreshments will be served from 12:30pm before the lecture. Admission is free, but booking is essential. To reserve your place, please contact (028) 71 376 579 or email [email protected].
For full details and further information on upcoming Island Voices events, visit www.derrystrabane.com/islandvoices.
This programme is jointly supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Good Relations Programme.